58 [Senate 



severe bodily labor exacted of the practical agriculturist. But can 

 all our ambitious young nien become professional gentlemen, without 

 rendering these professional pursuits utterly valueless ? If learning 

 and science are the great highways to honorable distinction and pub- 

 lic favor, why deny these advantages to those that do more than all 

 others to feed and clothe the whole community 1 



It is true that science is the greatest leveler in the world ; but, un- 

 like the leveling of ignorance and brute force, it ever levels upward. 

 It takes the highest point of mental attainment already achieved for its 

 standard ; and then wisely and humanely attempts to elevate all be- 

 low up to that standard. , 



The object of this effort is to make the triumph of mind over matter 

 universal and complete. All men, blessed with a common share of 

 common sense, should have, in their every day business operations, the 

 full benefit of the best lights of modern science. Science gives to the 

 poor man unknown and ever increasing power over heat, light, elec- 

 tricity, chemical attraction, air, water, and the solid substances which 

 form the surface of the globe. 



All these elements are brought into requisition by nature, in chang- 

 ing crude mineral matter into living, organized beings — into the cul- 

 tivated plants and domestic animals, produced by the labor of the 

 husbandman. To increase the knowledge of the producing classes 

 does not detract, in the least, from the attainments of any class that 

 may stand, or think they stand, above the common average of the com- 

 munity in which they live. 



Why shall we refuse to do as much to make skillful and scientific 

 farmers as we do to make skillful doctors and lawyers ? 



There are 11,000,000 acres under cultivation in this State, yielding 

 an average product worth $7 per acre. Communicate to the half 

 million of men who cultivate these lands a knowledge of the laws of 

 nature which govern all the results of rural industry, and instead of 

 exhausting the soil of its bread-forming elements at the rate of mil- 

 lions a year, they will improve the land and harvest, at the same cost in 

 labor, three dollars per acre more than they now do. This will add 

 to the productive value of our agricultural industry $33,000,000 a 

 year, and to the revenue of our canals more than one million of dol- 

 lars. For a large portion of this will go to the cities on the sea board, 

 and be paid for in goods to be returned through our canals to the con- 



